Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वरदानान्महाभागा ह्यधिका चोच्यते बुधैः । कारुण्यान्तरभावेन न मृता समुपागता

Transliteration

varadānānmahābhāgā hyadhikā cocyate budhaiḥ | kāruṇyāntarabhāvena na mṛtā samupāgatā

Translation

ବରଦାନ ଦେବାରୁ ସେ ମହାଭାଗା, ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅଧିକ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠା ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ। ଅନ୍ତର୍ନିହିତ କରୁଣାଭାବରୁ ସେ ‘ମୃତ’ ହୋଇନାହାନ୍ତି—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ କ୍ଷୀଣ କିମ୍ବା ଲୁପ୍ତ ହୋଇନାହାନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• वरदानान्: from boons/gifts
• वरदानान्: Apadana (Ablative/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara-dāna (प्रातिपदिक; vara + dāna)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; हेतौ/अपादान (abl. pl.)

• महाभागा: most fortunate
• महाभागा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक; mahā + bhāga)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अधिका: superior
• अधिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु; वचने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (is said)

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-निर्देश (agent in passive)

• कारुण्यान्तरभावेन: by an inner disposition of compassion
• कारुण्यान्तरभावेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāruṇya-antara-bhāva (प्रातिपदिक; kāruṇya + antara + bhāva)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतु/करण (instr. sg.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थ निपात (negation)

• मृता: dead
• मृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √mṛ मरणे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (not dead)

• समुपागता: has come/has attained
• समुपागता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √gam गत्यर्थे with सम्+उप+आ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Revākhaṇḍa; commonly framed as Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Revā as a compassionate boon-giving goddess extending a hand of blessing to devotees; the river appears ever-flowing and luminous, symbolizing undiminishing grace.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of a tīrtha is tied to compassion and boon-bestowing grace, not merely physical presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Revā/Narmadā is praised as a compassionate boon-giving tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse motivates devotion by emphasizing boon-bestowing compassion.